New Zealand: Politics
In time, Australia and NZ ETS plans can work together, say governments
18 Jul 2008
Australia and New Zealand have developed different emissions trading schemes because their economies are different, but will bring the schemes together over time. That’s the message from Wellington and Canberra this week as the governments of both countries push ahead with plans for emissions trading regimes as key planks of their climate change strategies.
Tell us how to cope with ETS, Business Council urges Government
18 Jul 2008
The Government would win more political support for emissions trading scheme if it told New Zealanders how it will help them to cope with the costs of the scheme, says the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Maori Party sticks to polluters-should-pay stance on ETS fuel plans
18 Jul 2008
The Maori Party is unlikely to push for an Australian-style buffer against the effects of increased fuel prices under New Zealand’s proposed emissions trading scheme.
Parker, Swan meet tomorrow to talk emissions trading
16 Jul 2008
Australia’s proposed emissions trading scheme will be top of the agenda for a meeting between New Zealand Climate Change Minister David Parker and Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan tomorrow.
REACTION: Aussie ETS no model for New Zealand, say Greens
16 Jul 2008
The Green Party says it is disappointed that Australia’s proposed emissions trading scheme will not provide a model for New Zealand.
World won't buy ETS dream, top economist tells Aussies
15 Jul 2008
Australians are being told by one of the world’s leading economists that the world will never support an emissions trading regime.
Green economy good for jobs and business, says union expert
15 Jul 2008
New Zealand can be cautiously optimistic that shifting to a green economy will be good for jobs and business, as a new report in Australia predicts up to three million new jobs will be created under a green economy.
ANALYSIS: Australian Green Paper: Will faces here go green or red?
15 Jul 2008
ANALYSIS: The Green Paper on Australia’s emissions trading scheme, being published tomorrow, could have policy and political repercussions in New Zealand.
Poll shows most of us want action on climate change
11 Jul 2008
Another poll has confirmed that most New Zealanders believe that climate change is human-induced and want to take action.
NZIER-funded polling shows coalition deal may have to deliver ETS policy
11 Jul 2008
Emissions trading is an issue of great concern to Maori and Green party voters - and the major parties might need them to form a coalition after this year's election.
NZ, Australia emissions schemes sit happily together, says Parker
11 Jul 2008
New Zealand and Australia’s emissions-trading schemes are compatible and line-up on the basics, says Climate Change Minister David Parker.
Frustrated scientists hammer home the climate change message
11 Jul 2008
New Zealand scientists have gone on the offensive over climate change, issuing a 1700-word statement setting out the evidence that the climate is changing because of human activity.
NZIER releases public poll on climate change
8 Jul 2008
New research shows there is little public support for the proposed emissions trading scheme, says the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
ANALYSIS: The poll result NZIER’s mystery funders won’t like
8 Jul 2008
Perhaps the most sobering result for the NZIER and its supporters in its June TNS poll on emissions trading is the party vote one.
Garnaut review releases draft report
8 Jul 2008
Australians are facing risks of damaging climate change. Without strong and early action by Australia and all major economies we are likely to face severe and costly impacts on Australia’s prosperity and enjoyment of life, according to the Garnaut Climate Change Review’s Draft Report, released on Friday.
Employers using ETS scare tactics on workers, says union
4 Jul 2008
Employers are playing on workers’ fear for their jobs as part of a campaign to undermine plans for an emissions trading scheme, says the country’s largest trade union, which will today announce its position on climate change and emissions trading.
ANALYSIS: The Labour-National negotiation that should be under way
4 Jul 2008
National and Labour are not far apart on the adjustments needed to make the emissions trading bill acceptable to both and restore multi-party support for the measure.
No horse trading on other issues in Govt - NZ First ETS negotiations
4 Jul 2008
Winston Peters has revealed his negotiating position over the emissions trading bill does not involve any other issue.
Australian managers not ready for ETS
4 Jul 2008
Australia’s emissions trading scheme will be unveiled today – and a new study shows two thirds of business people think it’s justified
Garnaut plan for Australia's ETS out this week
1 Jul 2008
Australia’s emissions trading scheme is about to be unveiled.
Get on with it, unions tell business and politicians
1 Jul 2008
Unions are climbing into the emissions trading debate, using two of their heavy-weights to send a clear message to business and political leaders that it’s time to pass the bill.
ETS bill vote talks concentrating on NZ First
1 Jul 2008
Government efforts to get the emissions trading scheme into law before the election are now focused on New Zealand First.
Questions over SOE-funding of ETS reports
1 Jul 2008
Three State-owned enterprises are in the political spotlight for funding reports being used on either side of the lobby campaign on the Government’s emissions trading scheme.
OPINION: CTU economist Peter Conway on the ETS
1 Jul 2008
Some business lobby groups are in full scale attack mode on the Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill since the National Party withdrew its support for the Bill.
Heavy emitters fire more salvoes on ETS
27 Jun 2008
The battle over the emissions trading scheme continues, with big business today launching another salvo aimed at persuading politicians to delay the scheme.
Politicians (well, some of them) talk but ETS deals still not done
27 Jun 2008
Politicians are no closer to a deal to pass the emissions trading scheme, despite weeks of negotiating.
ETS bonus: $12b and 10,000 jobs, says report by big business
24 Jun 2008
Passing the emissions trading scheme into law will generate $12.3 billion in investment and nearly 10,000 jobs in the next 10 years, but delaying it could cost 20,000 jobs – mainly in tourism and agriculture, says a report out this afternoon.
New investment, new jobs, new wages, new income
24 Jun 2008
The NZBCSB report into the economic ramifications of passing the ETS before the election says that it will:
Who did the work and who paid?
24 Jun 2008
Two of our major State-owned electricity generators paid for the Business Council for the just-released Sustainable Development report on the ETS.
New reports show multi-billion-dollar impacts of ETS
24 Jun 2008
Politicians debating whether to support the Government’s emissions trading scheme are today being hit with two major reports countering earlier claims that the scheme will cost New Zealand vast amounts of money and jobs.
Pressure builds as minor parties decide where to stand on ETS
24 Jun 2008
The emissions trading bill is top of the agenda for most minor political party caucus meetings today as pressure builds to get the scheme passed before the election.
Carbon exchange chief criticises lack of business and political courage
20 Jun 2008
The chief executive of New Zealand’s carbon trading platform is calling for more courage and leadership to make the most of emissions trading and the opportunities it offers for New Zealand to develop and protect its trade.
Little hope for RMA amendment as it returns to House
20 Jun 2008
A draft law requiring local authorities to consider the greenhouse-gas emissions of new developments as part of Resource Management Act consents is back before Parliament, but seems unlikely to have the numbers.
ETS will deliver $1 billion plus power subsidy for heavy emitters over 10 years
18 Jun 2008
Major industrial emitters are to receive well over a billion dollars in subsidies from ordinary consumers for power they buy over the next ten years.
Environment Commissioner supports amended ETS bill
18 Jun 2008
New Zealand must implement an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), says Dr Jan Wright, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. “It’s the most efficient way for New Zealand to adjust to a carbon-constrained future.”
Peters key as Clark counts ETS heads and comes up one short
17 Jun 2008
Inter-party lobbying has begun in earnest on the emissions trading scheme, with National and Labour wooing the minor parties and a planned meeting between the Greens and New Zealand First cancelled as Winston Peters takes control of his party’s position.
ETS amendments tinkering around the edges for forestry sector
17 Jun 2008
Forest owners will take little comfort from proposed amendments to the Climate Change (Emissions Tradings and Renewable Preference) Bill which were reported back from the finance and expenditure committee yesterday.
ETS back in Parliament
16 Jun 2008
The emissions trading scheme is back before Parliament, with new proposals to widen the allocation of free credits and to allow lower-emitters into the scheme.
National's full minitory report on ETS bill
16 Jun 2008
National has released its miniority report on the ETS bill.
The Bill in full
16 Jun 2008
The 328 page emissios trading bill has been reported back to Parliament.
Business Council: Changes soften way for ETS, reach limit of public acceptance
16 Jun 2008
Recommended changes to the emissions trading bill as reported back will protect New Zealand industry from any unfair offshore competition and probably push assistance to major emitters to the limit of public acceptance
ACT: Don't recycle the bill, dump it
16 Jun 2008
ACT Leader Rodney Hide today labelled the Emissions Trading Scheme tabled in Parliament a costly mistake that will costs jobs and undermine New Zealand's standard of living.
Telling report appears on EU scheme on eve of NZ ETS bill debate
13 Jun 2008
The EU emissions trading scheme works “surprisingly well” and has little or no negative impact on the overall European economy, a new Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan management School study shows.
Big-spending business votes to buy green, says country can't risk going slow on climate change
13 Jun 2008
New Zealand can't afford to run the strategic risks involved in delaying climate change management - "simply to placate those who must adjust most, or resist adjustment”, business people in Auckland were told yesterday.
No carbon invoices, says Hyde
13 Jun 2008
Act Party leader Rodney Hyde is ruling out a policy of individual invoices for a carbon flat-tax.
Backroom deal guts agricultural targets: Greens
13 Jun 2008
A backroom deal between the Government and the agriculture sector has gutted the industry's voluntary emissions targets and directly contradicts Government policy, according to Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.
Heavy emitters' bull turned loose in Maori Party's china shop
12 Jun 2008
The heavy emitters' organisation yesterday launched a public attack on the Maori Party in a move which might indicate it has given up on getting the party's support to delay the ETS bill.
Stop the climate change talking and do something, says Skilling
12 Jun 2008
New Zealand is skirting around the issues and failing to reach the consensus needed to deal with climate change, says the New Zealand Institute.
ACT working on individual carbon tax?
12 Jun 2008
ACT will cover the ETS debate in Parliament with the concept of individual invoices for a carbon flat tax.
$400,000+ price-tag for NZIER report?
11 Jun 2008
The secretly funded NZIER report on the potential impacts of the emissions trading scheme may have cost at least $400,000.
Watts’s last stand: Simeon Brown takes energy portfolio
Thu 2 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Energy Minister Simon Watts has lost the portfolio to Cabinet fixer Simeon Brown in a reshuffle announced by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon this morning.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
Thu 2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Annual emissions fell to lowest in 15 years in Sept 2025
5 Feb 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest annual total in the year to September 2025 since records began 2010, according to Statistics New Zealand data published this morning.
Momentum speeds up for low-emissions heavy transport
Thu 2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand’s heavy vehicle sector is starting to move toward lower-emissions alternatives, with electric vehicles now delivering cost savings as well as lower emissions.
Wellington planting nears one million trees
30 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Greater Wellington’s parks restoration programme will hit one million native trees this year, with the first dams to rewet peat wetlands in Queen Elizabeth Park now completed after a years-long effort to bring these ecosystems – and their carbon sequestering superpowers – back to life.
Businesses look for ways to cut costs in response to oil shock
Wed 1 Apr 2026
New Zealand’s small and medium-sized businesses are looking for ways to ease the pressure as global tensions see rising fossil fuel prices and diminishing supply, with decision-makers mulling measures including work-from-home polices and transport or logistics changes.
